smyser



" a Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

E, SMYSER. E CARD FEEDER FOR E A CKAGE FILLING MAGHINES.

Patented Oct. 3, 1893.

INVENTOR:

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

5 H. E. SMYSER. CARD FEEDER FORPAGKAGE FILLING MACHINES.

No. 505,858. Patented Oct. 3,.1-893.

INVENTOR:

By his Attorneys; v

WITNESS S: //m 2% I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. SMYSER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ARBUOKLE BROTHERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CARD-FEEDER FOR PACKAGE-FILLING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 505,858, dated October 3, 1893.

Application filed October 10,1892. Renewed August 16,1893. Serial No. 483,304. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, HENRY E. SMYsER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Germantown, in the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card- Feeders for Package Filling Machines, of

which the following is a specification.

I In such machines, the packages, usually paper bags, are brought in succession under a delivery spout through which material is dropped from a dumping mechanism above and descends in a stream from the spout into the package. Such a machine is illustrated in my patent granted March 31, 1891, No. 449,275. Improved constructions of the same machine are illustrated in my pendingapplications, Serial No. 389,030, filed April 15, 1891, for patent for automatic weighing machine, and Serial No. 423,140, filed February 29, 1892, for patent for package making and filling machine.

. My present invention provides an attachment applicable in automatic packaging machines of the character described, or to any others of analogous character or operation, and consists in the combination therewith of automatic feeding mechanism for feeding cards or sheets one by one and inserting them into the packages being filled along with the stream of material which is being introduced thereinto by the package filling apparatus, so

that the card is introduced into the package along with the material that is being packed therein. The card inserting device by preference partly enters the card into the bag or other package and releases or-drops it whlle in operative connection therewith the card feeder provided by my invention. Fig. 1 is a fragmentary horizontal section showing the receptacles. Fig. 2 is a vertical section ina slightly different plane illustrating the entire apparatus pertaining to the card feeding and inserting mechanism. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of a part not clearly shown in Fig. 2. I Fig. 3 is an elevation of the :card feeding device alone. Fig. 4 is a similar-view showing the successive'positions assumed by the card feeder. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view of part thereof. Fig. 6 is a'sectional elevation illustrating the pneumatic apparatus in a different position. Fig. 7 is a vertical mid-section, and Fig. 8 an under side plan of the pneumatic picker or sucker,

In the apparatus sho wn, the card feeder acts to pick up'the card or sheet by pneumatic suction, this being generally speaking one method heretofore known in the art of paper feeding for grasping or feeding a sheet of paper or card. While such pneumatic feeder is considered preferable, mechanical or other feeders known generally in the art as substitutes therefor may be provided in place of the pneumatic feeder, as equivalents thereof.

I will proceed to describe the specific apparatus shown in the drawings. p

In the several figures, A A designate fixed frame-work or frames for the moving parts.

B, in Fig. 1, designates in general the essential parts of a packaging or package filling mechanism. The specific packaging mechanism shown comprises an intermittently revolving series of receptacles G G,

- tained in the receptacle falls out as indicated and slides down the chute or spout D, falling into a bag or package f placed beneath it, and which in the drawings is shown as held in a pocket F. The receptacles C C may be filled with the material to be packed in any suitable manner, the method of filling these receptacles or of otherwise supplying measured or weighed quantities of material dumped at intervals down the delivery spout D being immaterial to my present invention. All that is material to my present invention is, that some suitable mechanism shall be provided adapted to dump quantities or charges of material at regular or suitable intervals of time through a delivery spout or chute by which the stream of material is directed into the bag or other package held beneath said spout.

In the drawings the bags or packages are held by pockets or cells F F arranged in a circular series attached to a wheel G turning around a central shaft G. The bags or packages are thus moved around over a circular table F.

In practice, by preference suitable mechanism is provided for closing the mouths of the successive bags, means is provided for drying the bags, and provision is made for feeding the completed packages automatically out of the machine.

The parts thus far described are embodied in a complete automatic weighing and packaging machine heretofore constructed by me and embodying the invention set forth in my hereinbefore recited patent, and in the two pending applications hereinbefore named, to

which reference may be made by those desire ing knowledge of the details of such machinery, which are not essential to my present invention, and which accordingly it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate in the present application. 7

I will now describe the improved attachment to such packaging apparatuswhich is provided by mypreseut invention. The card holding table H is suitably located for holding in preferably horizontal position a pile of cards 71-. These cards are of suitable size to be insertedwithin the packagesf. A pneumatic picker or sucker I mounted on a tubular arm J moves down into contact with the top of this pile of cards, and by means of a suction generated at the proper instant, attaches itself to the uppermost card, where upon, being moved up from the position shown at- 1 in Fig. 4 to the position shown at 2, the arm J is oscillated on its pivotal stud j from the to the position shown in full lines at 3 in that figure. In this position the card It stands in a vertical plane over and slightly within the side of the bag or package f. The arm and sucker are then moved bodily down ward to the position marked 4 in Fig. '4, thereby thrusting the lower edge of the card partly within the mouth of the bag or package in the position shown in Fig. 1. At this instant the automatic packaging machine, by the lifting movement of itsslidedil, e, dumps a charge of material from the receptacle 0, and the stream of material falls down through the chute D into the package. hile this stream is falling, the pneumatic suction by which the card h has been heldlto the sucker I ceases, being in fact preferably replaced by a slight pressure of air, which blows the card off the sucker. The card being thus left free, not only tends to fall b its own weight, but is also drawn down b its proximity to the falling stream of mater'al, and falls with the stream into the package. As the card enters the package, it is prevented from tumbling toward the' middle thereof by reason of the fact that the stream of material is entirely on one side of the card, and asthe material is falling with the card it piles up in the lower part of the package. against one side of the card, and thereby holds the card upright and keeps it pressed close against the side of the package. This operation is in fact instantaneous, the card falling into the package with the stream of material, which latter instantly accumulates in a pile with the card held between this pile and the side of the package. By means of thispeculiar and novel operation. the correct insertion of the cardinto the package isinsured, and this by very simple mechanism. The hollow arm J is formed with a tubular hub J (Fig. 6) one branch of which communicates through a flexible tube K with a pneumatic cylinder L, in which works a plunger owpiston M. The cylinder L and plunger M are arranged vertically, the plunger being lifted and lowered in the cylinder byan elbow-lever P, pivoted at P, having a horizontal arm carrying a roller 10, which comes beneath the plunger, while its upwardly projecting arm carries a roller g, which enters the groove of a cam Q fixed on a revolving shaft B. This shaft makes one revolution to each operation of filling a bag. While the sucker I is down in contact witha pile of cards It, the cam Q moves the lever P so as to lower its rollerp and permit the plunger M to descend, thereby partially exhausting or rarefying the air in the cylinder L, tube K, arm J and sucker I, and consequently causing the latter to attach itself to the uppermost card. The extent of the suction is determined by the weight of the plunger M. This plunger may or may not fall as rapidly as the downward movement of the lower arm of the lever P.

position shown in dotted lines at 2 in Fig. 4

At the proper instant for dropping the card after the sucker reaches the position 4 in Fig. 4, thecam Q vibrates the lever P backward, thereby suddenly lifting the plunger M, restoring the confined air intervening between it and the sucker to atmospheric pressure, and preferablyto somewhat more than atmospheric pressure, in order to somewhat forcibly blow the card off the sucker in case it should be disposed to adhere thereto. The card thereupon falls with the falling stream of material into the receptacle. The plunger is then held elevated until the sucker by a repetition of its movements from position 4 to the successive positions 3, 2 and 1, has come again into contact with the pile of cards, whereupon the plunger again falls, and the same operation is repeated.

The movements imparted to the sucker and its arm J are effected by the following described mechanism: The hub J of the sucker-arm J is pivoted on a studj projecting from a slide S movable vertically in suitable slideways or guides s s fixed to the main frame. The slide S is connected by a link 2' to the long arm of an elbow-lever is, pivoted at It, the short arm of which in the construction shown projects upwardly and carries a roller which rolls in a sinuous groove formed in a cam T, shown in dotted lines in Fig.2 and in full lines in Fig. 2 fixed on a revolving shaft m, which shaft turns at the same speed as the shaft R. The hub J carries a projecting arm or crank n, to which is jointed one end of a connecting rod Z, the opposite end of which is jointed to the long arm of a lever 4" extending parallel with the lever 70, and pivoted at 70. The short arm of this lever 1' projects upwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, and carries an anti-friction roller rolling in the groove of a cam T, shown infull lines in Fig. 2, which cam is fixed on the same shaft m as the cam T. The sinuous grooves in the two cams T T are so shaped that during one revolution of the shaft m they shall start from the position shown in Fig. 2, simultaneously lift the slide S and arm n until the position 2 in Fig. 4 is reached, whereupon while the cam T holds the slide S stationary, the cam '1" by plunging down its lever rshall swing the arm it though approximately a quarter circle, thereby carrying the sucker to the position 3 in Fig. 4, whereupon while the downward movement of the lever r is continued by the cam T, the cam T moves the slide S down with it and at the same speed for a short distance, thereby bringing the sucker to the position 4 in Fig. 4. After pausing in this position an instant, long enough to blow off the card from the suckeiy'both cams move their connected parts upwardly together, and the cam T again stops the slide S, while the cam T continues to lift its lever r, and thereby swings back the arm n and sucker I to the'position 2 in Fig. 4, after which both cams impart a downward two stop-arms t t, which in its opposite positions come into contact with the opposite sides of a stop-pin t fixed to the slide S.

The card holding table H is formed at its sides with upwardly projecting fingers uu for holding the pile of cards inrplace. The table H is mounted on a spring 3, by which it is kept pressed up to its uppermost position, but is adapted to yield to the downward pressure of the sucker I. To the table is fixed a vertical rod '0 which projects downwardly through guiding holes in arms or brackets U U, adjustable upon a vertical post U, which post is suitably fastened to the frame of the machine. The spring 3' is coiled around the rod '0, reacting against the lower arm U and,

pressing upwardly against a collar vfixed on said rod. To prevent rotary displacement of the table it is formed with guiding rods 10 w projecting downwardly from it and working through holesin the upper arm U. 1

The sucker I is constructed preferably of a base plate 00, to which is fastened a yielding foot y of flexible rubber, and consisting of a top plate y cemented or otherwise fastened to the plate w, a surroundingwall and transverse partitions y crossing it at intervals, the surrounding wall and transverse partitions being sufficiently yielding to adapt themselves to any unevenness in the card or sheet, and consequently to make a close con.

tact therewith. Theair suction is conveyed .from the tube J to the air spaces or cells between the respective partitions by means of openings g over the tops of the partitions.

This construction of sucker will cling with great force to a card or sheet upon being connected with means for producing the proper suction.

It should be understood that my invention is not limited to the specific construction of apparatus herein shown and described. I have shown the application of myinvention to only one kind or type of packaging machine; but in order to apply it to other types of such machines it may require considerable structural modification, which, however, will be within the province of any competent mechanical engineer, it being only necessary to apply such mechanical movements or gearing as willcause the card to be picked up in proper time and delivered at proper intervals to the packaging mechanism in such manner as to cause the cards to fall into the packages along with the stream of material being introduced therein. It is not essential that the mechanism which picks up or conveys the card shall carry it into contact with the stream of material before releasing it, or that such mechanism shall partly insert it into the bag or package before releasing it, it being only essential that the card shall be so picked up, conveyed, or released as to insure its falling into the package along with the stream of material entering the latter, or even in advance of such stream in such manner that the card shall be inserted into the package during the operation of filling the package with comminuted, granular, powdered or other dry material being packed, so that by the introduction of such material into the package the card shall be held properly in place therein. Sheets of paper or other material may be thus introduced in place of cards.

As before stated, mechanical instead of pneumatic devices may be employed as the means for picking up and holding the cards, both pneumatic and mechanical devices being, broadly speaking, old and well known in paper feeders.

I claim as my invention the following-defined novel features, substantially as hereinbefore specified, namely:

1. The combination with an automatic package filling machine of a mechanism for automatically inserting a card or sheet into the package in upright position alongside of the material therein.

2. The combination with mechanism for introducing comminuted material into a package, of mechanism for automatically feeding a card or sheet into said package at the same time with such material.

3. The combination With mechanism for directing a stream of comminute'l material into a package, of a card feeding mechanism adapted to insert a card or sheet into the package along with such stream of material.

4. The combination with mechanism for directing a stream of comminuted material into a package, of a card feeding mechanism adapted to feed a card or sheet to said package, and constructed to bring the card or sheet into proximity to the falling stream of material, and release it, permitting it to befed into the package with the stream of material.

5. The combination with mechanism for introducing material into a package, of mechanism for automatically inserting a card or sheet into the package consisting of a feeder constructed to pick up a card or sheet from a pile thereof, swing it into vertical position, and drop it into the package.

6. The combination with' an automatic package filling machine, of a table for holding a pile of cards or sheets, a feeder adapted to pick up a sheet from said pile, and mechanism for moving said feeder adapted to elevate it to lift the card off the pile, thereupon to swing the feeder to bring the card into an upright position, and thereupon to move the feeder downward and disengage the card from it, whereby the card is fed into the package.

7. The combination with card holder H, of a feeder consisting of a foot I for picking up a card, its arm J, and an arm n, a slide S to which said parts are pivotally connected, a cam for moving said slide up to lift the picker arm and card, a cam connected to said arm n for moving it relatively to said slide to oscillate the feeder and swing the card from a horizontal to a vertical position and means for operating the feeder to cause it to drop the card in said vertical position.

8. In a pneumatic feeder, a sucker 1 consisting of a rigid plateau and an elastic foot com prising a yielding outer wall 1 transverse partitions 1 with air hoies y" for communieating the suction to the several air spaces between said partitions.

In witness whereof I have hereuntosigned my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HENRY E. SMYSER.

Witnesses:

W. G. GILMORE, N. A. HAYES. 

